the direction of the wind, as there is less likelihood 

 of foreign pollen being blown in to the plant. The 

 gathered blossoms should be carefully inserted into the 

 shade containing the other plant, and the pollen should 

 be shaken on to the growing blossom. For greater 

 safety the pollen may be laid on the stigma of the 

 plant, but this is hardly necessary. So that the 

 energies of the plant may be directed towards the fertili- 

 sation of the flower and the development of seed, it is 

 wise to leave but few blossoms on the plant, and all 

 immature blossoms should be destroyed. The plants 

 should be kept isolated until there is no doubt that 

 fertilisation has been effected, when they may be 

 allowed to develop the seed under natural conditions. 

 When the " apples " or fruits are ripe they should be 

 gathered and stowed away to dry. Subsequently 

 they should be placed in water until they become 

 plump again ; the seeds can then be squeezed out, and 

 after being washed should be allowed to dry, when 

 they may be stored until spring. If left dry until the 

 spring the seed may be rubbed out, and should be 

 sown in a fine tilth, the seed being deposited about 

 half an inch below the surface. The plant will grow 

 in the ordinary manner, and when it comes to maturity 

 it will in all probability be found that there are a 

 number of small tubers about the size of a bean, or 

 larger. These will have to be planted in the following 

 spring, when they may attain the size of a hen's egg, and 

 the produce of each year should be planted in each subse- 

 quent spring, until at the end of four years the tubers 



